Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-01-21
to receive the State money These a;fereneeS in
the Law should be harmonixed.

yearS, Ths attendance has increased. and the,
work OF rebuilding the needed structures for
which the Legislature at its last session made pro-
vision, has progressed in a very substantial usn-
ner. am pleased to note, in this connection, the
practical utility and Importance OF the technical
Instruction of the University, as shown hy the
large amount Of work done upon the new build
nSs by the faculty and students in the mechsn-
tcal departments These departments demonstrate
the worth Of practical sducaton in the useful
arts, and are being raore highly appreciated year
The Agricultural Experiment Station has
proven 10 be of great value to the agricultural
interests Of the State and our farmers eager
lv aVallnS themselves cf the useful and practical
Information disseminated Though its bulletins,
lhs Agricultural department adopted short
coarse il agriculture, 10 meet 8 nee3 Ter such in
str gct on and while there is no doubt Of the value
Of t'iiS course, Sufficient time has rot elnsed to
demonstrate whether it viii prove successful
AaNcrLrrnx-
Agriculture is, beyond question the leading in.
ouStfy OF our State. with more capital invested
and more labor employed tasn all other Interests
eoMhineds and il deserves, and should receive,
most & nerous consideration. Prosperity in this
industry brings prosperity 70 all others. There
have been various Propositions presented hereto,
nate branches During the session of lSSS a Air
was introd4ccd providing for separate Agrical-
naral College, AT that lime the farmers Of the
state were divided in opinion as 10 the necessity
for such sa Institution, and the bin failed 10 re
eeve the approval OF the Leg stature.
The dairy interests of Wisconsin have grown to
such magnitude and are Of such vast inpOrlanCc
to The Prosperity Of the people, that ample pro.
teStiou should be afforded them. lhe last LegiS,
lsure passed a law similar 10 lhst Of lAe State
New YORK, protecting the dairy interest against
the sale OF imitation butter, The New York raw
has been decided unccnStitut onal hv the GO it,
u that State, and, while no test OF the conStjt,
uonalsty or our law has been made in the court,
Of Wisconsin, am OF the opinion that the lSw
should be so changed as 10 sflOrIfihe desired pro
lection, and remove all doub;S as TO its beng in
conf CT with the constitution
The Legislature OF 1885 made provisions Tor
holliAg Farmers Institutes, by q yearly apl,r
priation Of $, 600, TO dsfray expenses. There
be no doutt that the Institutes have been produ,S
tive Of sood results, and the increa> ed inter, 81
taken in them the past wear is the test evidence
Of the appreciation in which they, are held. The
results Of the experience OF the leading farmers
and dairymen are given at these Institutes 60
these Of our farmers who are sufficiently inter.
eSted N ,hslr calling 70 syai themselves Of them,
these meetings has proven OF great practical
benefit. would recommend an Increase OF the
appropriation for this purpose
The Cfice of State Veterinarian, whose duty
should be TO investigate infectious and ccntag
diseases OF domestic animals was created by The
I. Atkinson. V. s, OF MiiwanGee. and his lsbors
have been almost wholly confined to the investi-
cation OF glauders, which has existed among the
horses in many parts of the State As the law
now stands it is defective In several particulars
and sNould be amended as 10 accomplish the
objects for which it is intended. The expenses
of this officer and the amounts paid the owners
toc diseased h rSes slaughter Il aggregated the
sum of So oSS -
NsUaANCS.
am induced to believe hat the Insurance laws
might be modified 10 some extent So a. e. he mo
=, n fetal To the business interests uf the state
The rate OF Insurance seems T. he iuctc stag
throua hout the State, while the insurance com,
pauieS claim that they are making no profits upon
their business. AS the law now stands, IN ease of
.oIal loss, the insurance company must pay tho
full amount for which the property is insured,
without regard 10 its value. ms law has created
ateadencf 20 ever-nsurance, and thiS over-'nsur-
ance has IN many cases, no doubt, been the eau e
OF the destruction of the property by fire, either
by engendering feeling of careessness or by
di ect incendiarism. Could some law be SO
framed as TO do away with this tendency, and at
the same time not relieve the insurance com
panies from the overzeaous acts of their agents
n insuring property for more than two Thirds Of
It's value, believe il would work reduction OF
the ra eS of insurance, and be Of great value &
tn people To secure proper care, the ownel
shouli have some interest in the property thal
woul / not tie made good TO him In case of loss
The owner should not be permitted t. recover
more than two thirds of the value OF the pros,-
cry destroyed and at the same time LetiEVe
The insurance companies should not bo relieved
from paying all they contract @ pay. This end
can be accomplished by enacting law that will
forfeit TO the state, 10 so 60 the school fund, as
othar forfeitures and penalties, all Jhat part OF
the sum contracted Tor in the policy of iuSutnnC
that is above twothirds Of the value of tie prop
erty destroyed
also deem il proper t. all the attention OF the
Legislature to the gIowiL tendency OF insurance
companies 10 combine in fixing the rates CT insur-
ance ana the division of business. While com
petition may regulate this. and the insurance.
companies may not fix unreasonable rates, the
matter is one peculiarly for the consideration of
The Legislature
l would also urge upon you the wisdom OF
changing the law providing for the COLLECTION Of
penalties from Insurance eompaniis not licensed
ny the state. The law no doubt, should provide
for tho prompt aud effective enforcement of all
penalties and forteitures against companies sevkI
.dg TO aved the payment of their license fees but
% h. r. 1
iieve to tie wrong. The officer upon whom de
wolves the duty OF enforcing these laws, 81 oud
have adequate compeus ltion Tor his services and
ali the expenses should be borne by the st lte but
the officer should perform his entire duty TO the
state without contingent interest depending uF on
the activity or energy with which his duties arc
performed The Legislature have the undouhtef
right to enact the law as 1t stands to-day, and the
present law was approved because the subject
was one u on which the policy should lie deter.
mined by the Legislature.
RAILROADS.
1t is interesting TO note the progress of the rail
roads In the State of Wisconsin,. At the close OF
road-from Milwaukee to Elm Grove. At the
close OF the year 1860 there but s55 miles OF
railroad within our limits. During the time of the
war of the rebellion, and the business depression
Immediately following, there but little OF rail
way building done. In 1861, 20 miles; In 1862 sc
miles; in 1868 none; in 1864, az miles, and during
the years 1865, 1866 and 1867, not mile of track
was laid in the State. After the war was over,
and the business OF the country had recovered
from the consequent continued depression and
stagnation, railroad building and railroad devel-
opment began a forward march, and have kept
even and steady pace with the other great indus
tries OF the state.
To-day the total number OF miles of railroad In
the State Is 4, eg2 constructed at cost of $751;
Sl3, 509.07. The average cost per mile was $40,
259.32, which includes equipments, buildings and
depot grounds. For the year ending June 30, 1856
the earnings OF the roads $50, 972, 2Sl 90, OF
which amsunt 81, $50, S76. SO was from passengers
S4 30 6o95 from freight and 81 4C5, 795 1s from
nd pN In n nHR 4 hose
earnings has required the services of from l6.O0l
to II, 900 men, at an average yearly compensation
of 5000 each. Tho operating expenses for the
period mentioned were si2 3il, l7l5i The mum
Der OF tons of freight carried 9l3 47G at an
average cost per ton per mile ofs1.3l cents The
number of passengers carried was o. BOB sS1, at an
average cost of 2 cents per mile.
number OF new lines are in process'of con
struction, and several are contemplated, which
promise 10 make the coming year one of great aC
tivl,y in this enterprise.
The abroad interest is one Of vast importance
to ali other industries OF the state Legislation
affecting railroads should be enacted with gp,Tt
of fairness and with due regard 10 the transaction
of other business Nothing should be doue th I
would cripple so vital factor Ia the states d el
opmeEt; and at the same time, care should be TAX
en- and frmness maintained that an interest 50
large does not overreach its legitimate hounds
| ard interfere with the proper progrtss OF Other
interests of the state. Nothing should be enacted
INTO law because Of public ciamor, without ample
reasons therefor, and ne just or reasonable
| restraint should be withheld.
ELECTRIC LIGHT
Ia compliance with an act Of the last Legsla
ture. have considered the advisabillty OF us,nl
electric light in the Capitol building and grounds
| BIDS were received from the different elecrica
/ lighting companies, and from the local gas com
| p.ny. 1t was found that the expense OF puttinl
In the plant and fixtures for electrical lighting
| would be about S25, 900; and that the additiona
| expense for maintaining and operating the SAM
| would be more than the cost OF lighting with gas
as offered by the local company. IL was, there
fore deemed best to accept the proposition OF th'
| gas company and contract was made with then
for two years, at $1.75 per thousand feet, Tn
| State to consume 9, 600, 600 feet per year. Thi
contract Is 70 cents per thousand feet less tha'
| before.
| WAR RECORDS.
The work Of compiling and publishing the wa
| records, In accordance with act OF the las
| Legislature, has been pushed as rapidly as tht
| circumstances and the difficulties Of the wori
| would permit The expense OF the undcrtak NJ
! has been much more than was anticipated, bu
| the importance of the work has required Rrea
| thoroughness and accuracy, and the scattered
| and disordered condition Of the war records wa
| found TO be much greater than he'd been expected
| The discoveries have shown the great need m
| Importance OF the work and have justified IN
| outlay that has been made. The first v1lnrns 0
| the publication was received from the press abou
| the first Of December, and it Will be some tint
| yet before the records OF the Adjutant- General
Office are completed.
would call the attention OF the Legislature Z
| the fact that many OF the States, to cornmemo
rate the heroic deeds Of their troops at the batt
OF Gettysburg. erecting memorial tablets u
mark the positions OF the States soldiers in tba
iInents engaged IN that hard fought battle am
any tribute the State may make TO the acts ani
/ deeds OF these gallant soldiers has been tustiJ
| and heroicaliy deserved.
| MILITIA
! The strength OF the Wisconsin National Guard
| on the first day Of January. 1887, was 2yz;1 tn,
I officers all men while in camp OF ms ruction